Mr R. H. Bevin Is 1960 Bledisloe Medallist

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29179, 13 April 1960, Page 6

Mr R. H. Bevin Is 1960 Bledisloe Medallist

Mr R. H. Bevin is the Bledisloe medallist for 1960. The medal, whjch was presented to the board of governors of Canterbury Agriculture College in 1930 by the

Governor-General at that time, Lord Bledisloe, is awarded annually to a former student of the college who. in the opinion of the governors, has, as a result of his training at the college, materially assisted farming in New Zealand or has otherwise advanced the

country’s interests. Mr Bevin, who is chief executive officer of the New Zealand Meat and Wool Boards’ Economic Service, worked on the land for three years before attending Canterbury Agricultural College from

1921 to 1923. He gained the Diploma in Agriculture and completed the degree of Bachelor of Agriculture at Otago University in 1924. As a student at Lincoln he was vice-president of the Students’ Association in 1922 and president in 1923. In 1925 Mr Bevin joined the Tasmanian Department of Agriculture as a field extension officer. Later he was chief agronomist and established a seed certificate scheme. He took over a programme of research which included two district research stations. Mr Bevin returned to Lincoln in 1938 as senior lecturer in agriculture, a position he retained for 12 years. In collaboration with Professor A. H. Flay, he organised the course for the diploma in valuation and farm management and as tutor for the course in 1939 he instituted the plan for rural field cadet training. Ashley Dene In 1937 the director of the college, Professor E. R. Hudson, began the programme of development at Ashley Dene with the introduction of subterranean clover. Mr Bevin took over a great deal of this work and laid the foundation for light land development in Canterbury. This was pioneering work in the face of long-established prejudice and many successful light land farmers today owe their success to Mr Bevin’s work and enthusiasm at Ashley Dene. The Ashley Dene

story was published by Mr Bevin as ’’Land Utilisation on Ashley Dene.” While he was on the college staff he wrote numerous agricultural bulletins. He also contri-

buted the section on the historical record and development of the college farm in the book "Life and Work at Canterbury Agricultural College.” He also wrote the book “Arable Farmirfg in New Zealand.” During 1945, in association with Dr. M. M. Burns, Mr Bevin organised special courses for returned servicemen. All the time that Mr Bevin was at Lincoln he played a leading part in taking the college into the farming community. He organised field days and pasture competitions and he addressed farmers’ meetings over a wide area. His work as an agricultural instructor began in the lecture room but it penetrated into distant fields far removed from the college. Economic Service In 1950 Mr Bevin joined the New Zealand Meat and Wool Boards’ Economic Service as chief executive officer. He instituted a research programme designed to supply the boards with a reliable source of farm economic data. With one exception the field officers that he selected were originally trained in the valuation and farm management course which he introduced at the college. Mr Bevin represented the Meat Board in the team sent by the Government last year in search of extended markets for meat and dairy produce. At all times Mr Bevin has retained his wide interest in all aspects of agriculture. In 1952 he was president of the New Zealand Grasslands’ Association He is a foundation member of the newly-formed Institute of Agricultural Science and has been a member of the council for some years. From 1953 to 1955 he was president of the Lincoln College Old Students’ Association and he has since been on the executive.

In 1955 he was elected by graduates and diploma holders as a member of the college board of governors.